Amnesty International has raised concern over the continued detention of Hamdiyya Sidi Sharif by the Zamfara State Police Command, despite reports that she requires urgent medical treatment following her recent abduction.
In a statement posted Friday on its verified X (formerly Twitter) account, the organization urged Nigerian authorities to ensure her safety, noting that the Sokoto State Police are demanding her transfer to their custody—a move Amnesty says could endanger her life.
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“Right now, the life of Hamdiyya Sidi Sharif is in danger. The Nigerian authorities must guarantee her safety,” Amnesty International said.
The group also criticized Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu, saying “Sokoto State Governor Mr. Ahmed Aliyu’s frightening intolerance of dissenting voices through a heavy-handed clampdown on critics is unacceptable in a free society,” the statement read.
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Hamdiyya, who is believed to have been targeted for her views, has become a focal point in discussions about freedom of expression and the treatment of activists in Nigeria.
Amnesty stated that at a court hearing in January, Hamdiyya’s lawyer, Abba Hikima, requested armed police protection due to threats in the courtroom—a request that was granted by the court.
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The statement noted that while in Sokoto for the trial, Hamdiyya and her legal team were “stalked at their hotel, accosted, and intimidated by some individuals.”
Amnesty urged the Sokoto State Government and security agencies to focus on the insecurity in the eastern part of the state.
“Instead of attempting to suppress dissenting voices, the Sokoto State Government and Nigerian security agencies should focus on addressing rampant insecurity… where gunmen have been killing people, razing villages, and abducting women and girls almost daily,” the statement added.
